United States House of Representatives

intern

May - July 2023 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I enjoyed seeing how the legislative process worked up close.

What I wish was different

I wish I had worn better professional clothing.

Advice

Dont stress out thinking you arent qualified, they don't expect interns to know what is happening.

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Constituent Service Intern

June - August 2022 • Glen Ellyn, IL

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

One piece of advice would be to put yourself out there. I was more reserved and shy, not wanting to make a mistake and I regret it. I wish I communicated and talked with the staff more, especially because they all seemed so kind and nice.

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Congressional Intern

June - August 2022 • Washington, DC

What I liked

There were a ton of opportunities to learn and meet really interesting people.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have been assigned an office whose values I actually identified with.

Advice

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Congressional Intern

September - November 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Be a good listener. You will learn a lot as a congressional intern. Keep your ears open and take advice given to you seriously.

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Congressional Intern

May - August 2021 • Richmond, TX

What I liked

Great staffers, meaningful work

What I wish was different

Nothing, it was great

Advice

Volunteer!

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Head Intern

May - July 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I really enjoyed the immersive experience of working on Capitol Hill, and I made good connections with people in my office.

What I wish was different

I wish the office had more clear expectations and projects for interns.

Advice

Prepare for long days and a lot of walking. Make sure you are kind to everyone and try to get everyone's business card.

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Summer Intern

May - August 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked being exposed to the world of politics on a national level. It was incredibly informative to learn exactly how the government operates at the highest level. I really enjoyed researching different topics for bills and finding bills that I think would be interesting for the Congressman to sign on to. The staff was amazing and very inclusive and helpful. I had an amazing experience there.

What I wish was different

I wish we could have given tours of the Capitol building, but due to COVID-19, we were unable to.

Advice

Meet as many people as you can and dive into the experience. You can stay quiet and just go about your job, but connecting with the staff and asking lots of questions will make for a great internship on the Hill in my opinion.

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Congressional Intern

June - August 2020 • Washington, DC

What I liked

It was an amazing experience getting to work with Congressman Christ Smith from New Jersey's 4th district. He has been in office for over 40 years and just the experience of being there and learning how congress works and functions from within gave me a whole new perspective on government and its intricacies. I got to attend hearings on bills and shadow Mr. Smith in his daily routine. I also got the chance to work with different constituents on the phone and from there learn about what type of issues these congressmen and women deal with on a day to day basis.

What I wish was different

It was during the summer when COVID was keeping most things shut down so I did not get to give tours of the capital building, but that is usually a big part of the job for interns.

Advice

Make sure you know the district you are working for well before you start working. Even if you are not from the particular district that you are working with, make sure you know its type of people, their needs, and the types of policies that they vote on and support. Also research your congressman or woman really well so that you can be able to know where they stand on issues because you do represent them.

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Legislative Intern

January - March 2020 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I got to work very independently, and do work that I felt was productive and important to my office. I wasn’t just given busy work.

What I wish was different

I wish that I would have spent more time networking during my time there, as we got sent home early due to COVID and I really regretted not taking advantage of the time I had.

Advice

Don’t be afraid of failure! The fear of not doing something perfectly can be really overwhelming and intimidating, but you were hired for a reason. If they didn’t think you were capable, you wouldn’t have gotten the job.

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Congressional Intern

May - July 2019 • Lubbock, TX

What I liked

I enjoyed the variety of tasks I was assigned to. I was able to work alone primarily, which I enjoyed. The work is very intense, mostly because my work was reflective of a Member of Congress. Accuracy was paramount and a good challenge for the entire summer.

What I wish was different

I wish that I was able to work more around legislation. Congressional Interns in District Offices unfortunately do more community outreach and local relations than national politics.

Advice

I would say it would be in your best interest to become proficient taking phone calls and dealing with high stress situations.

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Congressional Intern

May 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I loved working with the people in my office. Entering an office where the other employees have known each other for a few years, it can be daunting being "the new girl," but everyone in the office made me feel comfortable and part of the team.

What I wish was different

I wish that I could have attended a couple of the impeachment hearings, but I had duties to attend to in the office. Regardless, it was amazing just to know they were happening a few floors down from me.

Advice

I would say, don't be afraid to apply to internships if you don't have a ton of experience. My resume before applying consisted of hostessing jobs and tutoring, but I still got the internship! In a congressional office, make sure you are professional and always asking how you can help.

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Cashier

May 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked the scheduling

What I wish was different

Nothing could have been different

Advice

Be nice to everyone

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I got great experience in conducting research, drafting congressional memos, working with constituents, and networking at professional events. The work was very challenging but very rewarding. I came away with a greater understanding of how our legislative system works and the intricacies of American politics. I also really enjoyed working with the office staff--they were great mentors and teachers to me throughout the summer.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have gotten more experience working with lobbyists and different interest groups. I am interested in policy rather than politics, but the internship was more geared towards the political side of things.

Advice

Speak up for yourself and ask for the opportunities you want to get. People in the office will always be willing to guide and intern and teach them a new skill, but you have to ask first. Tell your co-workers what you want to learn and they will help make that happen.

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Congressional Intern

September 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I like the office environment I was in. They were great people to work with

What I wish was different

I should have networked more

Advice

Network and try to build relationships with the chief of staff

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Congressman Comer Agriculture Fellow

May - June 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I loved the networking opportunities and the flexibility of the office. The office staff always encouraged the interns to make the most of the time here and to attend as many briefings as possible.

What I wish was different

I really enjoyed my time working for the Congressman. I enjoyed it so much that when I was offered to come back for 15 weeks during the fall semester I decided to accept.

Advice

This experience is what you make it. You can't wait for the staff to share an opportunity with you because they have very busy schedules. You have to had a lot of self motivation and take initiative to really make the most of your time on Capitol Hill.

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Congressional Inter

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I enjoyed getting to see what law-making looked like behind the scenes.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been paid an hourly wage and that I had been given more tasks.

Advice

Whatever you are assigned to do, do it well and diligently .

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Intern

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked being close to the legislative process and living in DC this summer through an internship grant.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Winchester, VA

What I liked

I loved the experience of seeing what tasks go into our political system. We also visited the DC office for a day, and being in that environment for a day was so surreal.